Make the Call
by BregoBeauty
Summary: Jackson is losing Lisa's trust and he's having problems understanding his feelings. Meanwhile, time is ticking away... [hints of JxL]
1. The Fatal Call

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Summary:** Time is running out for Jackson Rippner and Lisa Reisert. The phone call has to work the second time around—or else they're both dead.

**Chapter One: The Fatal Call**

Jackson waited for the red-haired stewardess to move down the aisle before he removed the airplane phone from its cradle. He was running out of time to make the call. If the call did not happen soon enough, Jackson Rippner was one dead assassination manager. There was no room for error in his line of work.

He swiped Lisa's credit card into the phone and dialed the Lux Atlantic phone number that he knew by heart. He had memorized the number while following Lisa. As soon as the phone was ringing, he turned to face Lisa, who was sitting numbly by his side.

He could tell that she was in pain and that she did not want to make the phone call. If he had a choice, he would not be forcing her to do this. But his life was at risk and it just so happened that he like it.

_"It's time," he announced, placing the ringing phone near her, willing her to pick up the damn phone and make the blasted phone call._

Lisa hesitated a few seconds before taking the phone from his hand and moving to place it on her right ear—the one facing away from him. Jackson knew that it was probably a reflex due to being right handed, but the last time Lisa had kept the phone screen away from him, she had tried in vain to manipulate him into believing that she had made the call.

Jackson did not like being manipulated and he was not going to let her trick him again. He had come too far to fail now. He hated his job, but there was nothing that he could do to change it right then.

_"Uh," Jackson reached over and placed the phone on Lisa's left ear, where he could see the small screen. "Thank you."_

Her slender fingers slowly grasped the phone a second time, still hesitating, still stalling for time. Time that neither of them had. The longer it took for the call to be made, the closer they were to both their deaths.

_"Cynthia, it's Lisa," Lisa spoke after Cynthia answered the ringing phone._

_"Hey you. So I guess you still need that favor."_

_"Yeah. I was checking with Dan Young from maintenance and we can't put Keefe in that room," Lisa lied._

He had to admire her ability to lie through her teeth. He had nearly believed some of her lies, but he was used to dealing with lies and half-truths. He could tell when she was lying. On the other hand though, she could not tell when he was lying or telling the truth.

But Jackson did not lie. That was not who he was. He prided himself on being an honest person in a world and a profession where honesty is not expected. It separated him from people and he liked it that way.

Lisa suddenly froze.

Oh shit. This could not be happening! They were sooo close!

_"4080," she spoke clearly._

Jackson stopped breathing for a few moments. His plan had to work! Cynthia had to buy what Lisa was selling. Lisa had to convince her! They were sooo close!

_"Look, you're right. They're not going to be happy. So just, tell them I authorized it," Lisa finished, and the finality and the impact of her words seemed to pain her._

The line went dead and Lisa slowly replaced the phone as if she were in a trance. Jackson let out the breath that he had unconsciously been holding. His plan had, amazingly enough, succeeded. After everything that had happened, it was finally done. The phone call was made and Keefe was set to die.

_"Outstanding," he spoke, refusing to look at her._

He did not want to see her face. He had hurt her by forcing her to make the call and he did not want to see the looks that she would give him. He had changed her and made her no better than him. He did not want to see Lisa cry.

_"We're close."_

Lisa's response was fumbling with the airplane phone before she shoved it into his hands. He looked at her questioningly. What did she expect him to do? The damage was already done. Keefe was going to die shortly and there was nothing that either of them could do to stop it.

_"What?" Jackson asked her, looking up from the phone to her._

_"You know what. My dad. Make the call," Lisa begged, moving the phone slightly to emphasize her points. She was close to tears. "Your part of the deal."_

Jackson took the phone completely from her, slightly sad by what he had to do. He looked at the white phone in his hand for another second before he replaced it. Lisa looked utterly crushed by his actions.

_"I still need you," he said, not looking at her again. God, it hurt to look at her and know that he put her in such a state. It was all his fault._

_"You promised!" she cried in disbelief, her trust in him shattered once more._

_"And I'll keep that promise," Jackson focused his blue eyes on her. "As soon as we're on the ground, I'll get confirmation that Keefe has been handled."_

_"While you wait for confirmation, what if your guy decides to kill my dad, because you didn't make the call?"_

_"He doesn't make a move unless I say so. He's a good dog. He responds only to his master's voice," Jackson reassured her._

Jackson had worked too hard to let go of his leverage now. As long as everything kept to the plan, he would make good on his promise and call off his associate. If it did not, then he would be forced to make the order to kill Joe Reisert. He did not want it to go that far. He did not want to hurt Lisa anymore than he already had.

_"It'll all be over soon. The Keefes will be history, your dad will be safe, we'll both go back…"_

_"What?" questioned Lisa. "What did you say?"_

Jackson froze. What had he said? Fuck, he had told her! He had let it slip! She was not supposed to know that all of the Keefes were going to die. He had decided to only let her known about Charles Keefe to save her from some of the pain.

_"What?" Jackson asked._

_"His family's with him? You're gonna kill his family too?"_

Here it comes…emotion-driven, female-based dilemmas.

_"Somebody wants to send a big, brash message—that's their business," Jackson swallowed. "I do my part, move on."_

Jackson refused to face her. He had never really thought about his job before and what he did to people. He never saw his targets as people, but rather as names and places. He refused to think emotionally. He only dealt with the facts. If someone wanted someone dead, he told them his fee, asked who they were, how they wanted them to die, and when. The rest was up to him.

He never saw what he did as right or wrong; black or white. It was neither good nor evil. The lines blurred and he only saw shades of gray.

Why did she make him suddenly think about his job? What was it about her that changed him?

_"Oh my, god," Lisa whispered into her hands._

She was getting ready to cry! All because of him and his stupid job!

_"Lisa, shh," he ordered, placing a finger to his lips._

She covered her mouth with both hands and shook her head.

He had upset her. But why did he care? He did not feel emotions—let alone to towards victims of his plots. So, why did he care so much about Lisa Reisert?

Jackson Rippner never got a chance to figure it out.

**Author's Notes:**

Just a quick POV. Hope everyone like it! Enjoy!


	2. Release

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Two: Release**

All Jackson could feel was guilt every time he looked at Lisa. He had hurt her by forcing her to make the call. Now that he had messed up and she knew the full horror of she had done, she was in a far worse state.

He wanted to fix things.

"Listen to me, Leese. As soon as this plane lands, I'm gonna let you go," Jackson whispered to Lisa, who was still crying.

Lisa glanced over at him, disbelief showing on her face. She shook her head.

"Why?" she asked. "Why did you make me do this?"

"I had to, Leese. My life was on the line, as well as yours. Now the call has made, Keefe is going to die and I'm not going to hurt you anymore. I never wanted to hurt you, Leese—you have to believe me."

"How can I trust you?"

Good question. He had shown himself to be untrustworthy several times. He never meant to, but things happened.

"I'm going to call him off," Jackson said with a grim smile. He was going to raise hell for what he was about to do. He picked up the phone and slid Lisa's credit card. "I'm going to let your dad go, right now."

Lisa was in shock. She froze.

Why was he doing this? Why did he care so much? She was just another target and this was just another job…yet it felt so different.

"Hey," he greeted his associate, once he picked up the phone. "There's been a change in plans. The girl's done for—I don't need you to keep an eye on the father anymore."

"What happened?" questioned his associate.

"She made the call and then tried to make a break for it. I…I killed her. Lisa Reisert has been terminated," lied Jackson. Lisa was shaking beside him, but the call was for her own good. "The job will still go on."

"Should I kill the father?"

"There's no need. The death of his little girl will do that for him. Besides, two deaths would be suspicious."

"Okay then," the associate agreed before hanging up.

Jackson turned to Lisa.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, her lips trembling. Her beautiful lips…

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I lied to him. It's the only way I could do it."

"What about Keefe? You let us go, but what about him and his family?"

Shit, what was he going to do about Keefe? He wanted Lisa to be happy. He did not want to hurt her anymore and he wanted to stop the pain that he had caused. There was only one thing that Jackson could do.

He placed the phone and her credit card in her hand. Her brown eyes looked at him questioningly.

"Make the call to Cynthia. If you do this right, we can fake their deaths and save them."

"If we don't?" Lisa asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Then we're all dead—the Keefes, your father, you, and me. We're all dead, Leese."

They had one chance to change things—once chance to save them all. One last shot at fixing things. But time was not on their side.

As Flight 1019 neared Miami, a group of men waited upon a fishing boat near the Lux Atlantic, waiting and watching for their targets to appear…

**Author's Notes:**

I originally was only writing a one-shot, but it's become a story. Just a short story, but a story nonetheless. Enjoy! Next chapter, hopefully tomorrow.


	3. Urgent Call

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Three: Urgent Call**

Lisa swiped her credit card and dialed the Lux Atlantic. The phone rang and Jackson scooted closer to her to hear Cynthia. They had one shot at this. Jackson would have to talk her through this.

"Hello, Lux Atlantic Resort, this is Cynthia," answered the cheery redhead.

"Cynthia, it's Lisa again," Lisa spoke quickly. She was beginning to panic.

"Ask her where Keefe is," Jackson whispered near her ear. He knew that she was frightened and unsure. He had to stay calm and remain logical to get her out of the mess that he had created. He had gotten her into this and now he would get her out.

"Has Keefe gotten there yet?" Lisa asked her, ignoring whatever it was that Cynthia had tried to say while Jackson was speaking to her.

Please let Keefe not be there yet. If he already was, then they were too late. There was no way that they could get word to him fast enough to save him. The only chance they had was if he had yet to arrive.

"No, not yet," Cynthia replied and Jackson and Lisa both sighed in relief. "Why?"

"Something's going to happen to Keefe," Lisa told her friend. "I need your help to stop it."

"Lisa, what's going on?"

_"Cynthia, Keefe's a target! Keefe is a target!" Lisa screamed into the cell phone that she had stolen from Jackson._

"Tell her that we need to fake his death or you and your dad are dead. Leave me out of this," Jackson whispered to her. Lisa was a smart girl, and she would be able to figure out a way to explain what they needed to Cynthia. "Once they are seen in the hotel room, there's going to be an explosion."

Lisa shook slightly in fear. Trembling all over, she managed to tell Cynthia, "Someone's trying to kill Keefe. I need your help to stop it."

"Oh my god, Leese! They're going to be here any minute! What am I supposed to do?" Cynthia was starting to worry.

"Tell her to relax," Jackson spoke calmly.

Lisa nodded, still trembling. It hurt her to see her this way. He had done this to her. This was all his fault.

"Cynthia, I need you to calm down and listen to me," Lisa ordered, her bravery starting to come back. "I need to talk to his head of security when they arrive. I'll explain it to them. Don't say anything until after I've talked to them."

"You still want them to come here?" questioned Cynthia in disbelief.

"Yes, I still want them to come. If they don't come to hotel and listen to what I have to say, I'm dead too. Cynthia, it's not just about Keefe. It's about me and my dad."

"Lisa, what is going on? Is someone making you do this?"

"No, I'm making things right now. But I can't mess up."

Jackson glanced down at his watch. They were almost out of time. Keefe was going to be there any moment now and if Cynthia panicked, then the Keefe party when scramble off and they were all dead. If Cynthia did not listen, then Lisa, her father, and Jackson were all dead. All because of him and his damn job.

"Give me the phone," ordered Jackson, reaching for the airplane phone. It was time to take matters into his hands.

"What? Why?" asked Lisa, unsure as to what was going on.

"Give me the phone, Leese. Let me talk to her."

Lisa bit her lip before giving him the phone. He shot her a quick smile before his face became serious again and she knew that he was a manager on a job again. He was all business.

"Hello, Cyn-th-ia!" he sang, before he noticed Lisa cringing in her seat. He had said the same thing earlier when he caught her in one of her biggest lies yet.

"Who is this?" demanded Cynthia, completely and utterly confused by the phone tang that she was playing.

"I'm a friend of Lisa's. You have to listen to me. These men are dangerous and they need to be convinced that their plan worked or else they hunt Lisa down and kill her. Do you understand?"

"Yes," mumbled Cynthia.

Jackson sighed. He did not like having to scare her into this, but he could not risk revealing himself, even to Lisa's friend. He would disappear as soon as the flight was over and Lisa was safe. He could not afford to hang around, just in case his employer's found out that Keefe was still alive.

"Good. Now, I need you to remain calm. Do not tell them what is going on when they arrive. Say that there is someone on the phone that needs to speak to Keefe's head of security. Got it?"

"Yes—shit they're here!" exclaimed Cynthia, before she dropped the phone and Jackson could dimly hear her heels skittering across the floor as she raced to greet them.

Jackson stopped breathing again. The next few moments would decide whether or not they lived. These critical moments would decide their lives. If only they would pick up the phone and he could explain the situation to them and they would understand…

That's when the phone went dead.

**Author's Notes:**

Cliffie! It's evil, but oh well! Next chapter will probably be up tomorrow.


	4. Time is Running Out

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Four: Time is Running Out**

Jackson could not believe that this was happening. How could the phone have gone dead just when he needed it the most? Of all the absurd things to happen…

It never would have happened if he had not been trying to help Lisa. Why did he care so much about one woman? What did Lisa Reisert mean to him? He would figure it out soon enough. He had to figure it out. After all, he was risking his life to make her happy and save Keefe. He should have just let the Keefes die and let Lisa cry.

"What happened?" Lisa's worried voice pulled him from his mental fog. The emotion in her voice spurred him back into action.

"The phone went out. I'm gonna try again," Jackson glanced at her long enough to explain, before returning his focus to the dead phone in his hand. He replaced it and then removed it again, but the small screen still read 'temporarily out of service'.

Shit. This could not be happening! Not twice in one night! Not when he was so goddamn close to doing something meaningful for the first time in his life. Helping Lisa, freeing her and saving the Keefes would be the first worthwhile task that he would ever complete in his life. He had taken the easy road out after he killed his parents. He had become a manager—never liking the taste of murder and the act of killing. He could kill when provoked, but he did not enjoy it.

He enjoyed control and was only happy when things went according to plan. Which they were not. Everything was out of his control and it had been spinning that way ever since he approached Lisa in line.

"Hurry," she pleaded, desperately. Tears were welling in her eyes once more.

It was clear that the airplane phone was no longer going to work. Now what could he do? How else could he get a message to them?

A small, rectangular object jabbed him sharply in the side as he reached forward to replace the out-of-service airplane phone. His cell phone. How could he have ever forgotten about it?

He plucked the small blue phone from its plastic belt clip and turned it on. What he was about to do was against the airplane rules and regulations, but he was beyond caring at this point. Besides, what could the nosy stewardesses do? Fine him? Jackson snorted at the very idea.

He held his breath as he anxiously waited for the phone to turn on. Finally, the main screen appeared and he punched the phone number in rapidly and using more force than necessary on the small keypad. The phone started ringing as he pressed it against his right ear and Lisa shifted closer to listen. She too, was holding her breath, praying that this worked.

They were almost out of time.

Sooo close…Too close…In more ways than one.

The phone continued to ring. Where was Cynthia? Why wasn't she answering the damn desk phone?

Suddenly, someone picked up, and it was not the redhead that they needed. "Hello, Lux Atlantic Resort, my name is Mike, how may I help you?"

Jackson swiftly hung up in disgust. The phone going out had lost them precious time. Time that they did not have. Now, Cynthia would be escorting the Keefes and company to the doomed hotel room 4080. Once they were visible, they were dead.

"Does Cynthia have a cell phone?" Jackson asked Lisa, turning to face her. She nodded and Jackson placed the phone in her hands.

Lisa dialed the number and handed the phone back to him. He took it with a smile and their hands lingered in mid-air, where they had handed the phone over, far long they needed to. They both flinched awkwardly once they realized what they were doing. Their hands flew apart and they began to refocus on the task at hand.

"Hello?" Cynthia answered the phone cautiously.

"Cynthia, I'm sorry but we got cut off. Where's Keefe's head of security?" Jackson demanded. "I still need to speak with him."

"He's already in the room. They all are."

Lisa grabbed the phone from his white-knuckled grasp. "Cynthia, you have got to tell them to get out of there. Every second that they spend in that room is a second closer to their deaths! You have to get them out!"

Jackson glanced at his watch. Time was gone. They were out of time. The Russians would be launching the shoulder rocket any moment now and the Keefes—and room 4080—would be going up in a fiery blast any second now.

"Lisa, are you joking or is there really going to be an explosion?" Cynthia questioned. Lisa had been jerking her around on the phone since the day before. She was not sure what was going on, but she had to wonder if Lisa was just trying to scare her.

"I'm not joking! You have to go to the room and tell them to get out right now! You have to run up there and refuse to leave until they do! You have to get them out, Cynthia!" Lisa nearly screamed in frustration.

"Leese, shh. It's gonna be okay. We're gonna fix things," Jackson whispered into her ear, trying to console her. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves. And he hated seeing Lisa in this state.

"Okay, Lisa, I'll go tell them right now!" Cynthia agreed, her voice shaking and they could both hear her high heels clicking loudly as she ran.

"Tell her to pull the fire alarm," Jackson suggested, resting his lips near Lisa's ear, trying to hide the small blue phone as the red-haired stewardess walked past them.

The loud speaker sounded, telling everyone that, "We've begun our final descent into Miami…"

They were out of time.

"Hang up, Leese," Jackson ordered, feeling a pair of eyes on the back of his head.

Jackson slowly turned his head, using his curtain of dark hair to spy on the other passengers. He noticed one, a man, staring at him. He could see the lump where a gun was hidden. They had been found out.

"Why?" Lisa questioned, noticing his actions.

"Just do it!" he snapped.

Lisa ended the call and handed Jackson back his phone. He slipped it back onto the clip and began to wonder if they would manage to get off this plane alive.

Time had run for Lisa and Jackson on the plane as Flight 1019 headed towards the tarmac… And in the Lux Atlantic, time had run out for the Keefe family.

**Author's Notes:**

A longer chapter than last time! This story should be concluding soon, I think. It's only going to have another chapter or two. It's not a long story. Enjoy!


	5. Escape

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Five: Escape**

The plane made a some-what bumpy landing, jostling Lisa and Jackson slightly. It was enough of a jolt that Lisa's eyes flew shut and she grabbed Jackson's hand tightly.

Jackson's blue eyes grew wide in shock as he glanced down at his hand, which was being held in Lisa's fear-induced, death grip. Lisa had yet to notice what she was doing. He knew that she had not intended to grab his hand, but it was comforting to him all the same. He was slowly starting to regain her lost trust.

He glanced around the plane once more. The man with the gun was still sitting there, just one section over and a few rows ahead. This man—a hit man—was blocking their escape route. Suddenly, Jackson had an idea.

"Unfasten your seatbelt," he whispered to Lisa, a whispered, urgent order. The sign had yet to flash, but they needed to be moving in a few moments. There was no time to worry about safety concerns, such as a blinking sign.

Lisa released his hand sheepishly and they both unfastened their seatbelts. She looked towards him for more directions and for once kept quiet about her questions.

"As soon as everyone stands up, I need you to keep up with me. We're going to have to run."

Lisa nodded, though she had a puzzled look in her eye. She had not seen the gun man and he did not want to trouble her with it. She had enough to worry about without him adding to it. He had secretly sworn to not upset her anymore. And he would keep his solemn promise.

The seatbelt sign flashed and everyone hastened to stand up. Jackson reached over, and grabbed her delicate hand in his. He saw a slight smile cross Lisa's face and she did not flinch at his touch. He was going to savor this moment, holding her hand—even though it was only the lightest touch—it would be the most that he would receive from her. Once he got her out of the airport and to the hotel, and had double-checked on his associate, he would walk out of her life. He had been planning on doing it since before the plan flight began, and before he realized his attraction to her.

As much as it pained him, he would follow through on his intentions. He would let go of Lisa once she was safe. He would keep his distance.

"Now!" he called, pulling Lisa with him and surging into the crowd.

Lisa's hand tightened in his and he felt warmth fill his body and mix with the flowing adrenaline. He was not going to lose her, not going to leave her to the hit man. He would protect her and save her from the mess that he created.

"Excuse me, sorry," Jackson apologized as he shoved through the crush of people moving the opposite direction. A quick glance back showed him the hit man reaching towards his hidden gun as he peered into their empty seats.

"Why are we running this way?" questioned Lisa. "What's happening?"

"I'm saving your life. That man back there has a gun," he whispered as he pulled Lisa in front of him, heading her towards the bathroom. "Hurry."

Lisa slipped inside the bathroom and Jackson followed suit. He closed the door behind them. They would not have much time to pull this off.

"Up there," he said, motioning towards the ceiling. "Climb up."

Lisa shot him a questioning look and he nodded his encouragement. He helped her up on to the sink and she started pushing the ceiling tiles up. She stumbled slightly and he steadied her.

"Are you sure?" Lisa questioned, as he went to boost her up into the ceiling.

"Yes, Leese. It's our only chance."

"Okay. I trust you," she told him, smiling down at him before disappearing.

Jackson's heart leapt and he quickly hopped onto the counter after she starting scurrying away into the plane. This was not the best of plans, but it was their only shot at escaping the plane.

"Jackson?" Lisa's frightened voice called from up ahead.

"Leese," he answered. "What's wrong?"

"Where do I go now?"

"Go right and then climb down the ladder. Be careful," he called, concerned for her. He had never felt more concern for anyone in his life.

Jackson crawled forward and could barely make out Lisa's figure as she climbed down the ladder. Suddenly she let out a cry and her grip on the ladder began to slip. On impulse, Jackson's hand shot out and he grasped her wrist, clinging tightly to her, determined not to let her slip.

"I'm okay!" she called up to him.

He guided her hand back to the ladder and let go. She continued to make her way down in the darkness.

"Now where?" Lisa questioned from the ground.

"Wait for me," he called down and quickly made his way down the ladder and joined her deep inside the plane.

Jackson grasped her hand—he told himself that it was so that he would not lose her in the stiflingly darkness—but he knew better. Then he led her through the maze of the plane, until they reached a hatch that opened onto the tarmac. Jackson jumped down first and caught Lisa, carefully setting her feet on the ground.

"We're free Leese," Jackson said with a smile, and then a shot ran out and struck the plane.

They had been found by the hit man.

* * *

Cynthia raced back to room 4080. She banged down the door, yelling, "Mr. Keefe! Mr. Keefe!"

The door was yanked open by Keefe's head of security. "What is it?" he asked, trying to be polite.

"There's something wrong. Someone's trying to kill Keefe. You have to get out of this room right now!" she insisted, her wide eyes showing her fright.

"Everyone out! Code red!" the head of security called back into the room.

Charles Keefe, his wife, Lydia, and their two children came racing out, followed by the men in suits that were his bodyguards. Cynthia followed them as they were ushered towards the elevator.

"Get down!" someone cried and everyone in the elevator ducked as an explosion rocketed through the fortieth floor.

Lisa had not been lying. Someone had been trying to kill Keefe.

"Let's go!" another bodyguard called and suddenly the Keefe family was racing towards the stairs, evacuating the building. Cynthia was left alone, standing in the remains of the former hotel floor. The blast had destroyed it.

Shit, she was in deep, deep shit.

**Author's Notes:**

I can't help it with the cliffies! This story still isn't over yet. I was planning to finish out around five chapters, but the story is still going strong and I'm having too much writing it. Enjoy! We'll find out what happens to Jackson and Lisa tomorrow! As for the plane stuff, I was making that up, so it's probably not accurate.


	6. Fight Back

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Six: Fight Back**

Lisa let out a scream as Jackson pulled her down towards the ground. Another bullet sang out, striking the plane again. Jackson cursed loudly as he yanked Lisa along, staying close to the ground. He could not believe that this was happening.

"Give it up, Rippner!" called out the hit man. "You're not going to leave this airport alive!"

"Stay down and keep moving," Jackson whispered to Lisa, sneaking off. He was going to take down this man.

Lisa listened to him and kept sliding along the plane, trying to convince the hit man that Jackson was still with her. She was shaking slightly and threw worried glances his direction as often as she could. He could tell that she was worried about his safety as well as making it out alive.

"Come out, come out where ever you are…" sang the hit man, walking closer to the plane. He had just reached the open hatch and caught sight of Lisa when Jackson closed in.

Jackson held a heavy metal object high above his head and swung down with brutal force. The hit man never had a chance. Jackson kept bashing his head in, long after the first blow killed him. Blood spattered all over his clothes, but he did not care. Once he was finished, he ripped off his suit jacket and dress shirt and chucked them back inside the open hatch. He had no choice but to leave the ruined clothes behind. It might later lead to his undoing, but Jackson cared not at the moment. All that mattered was getting Lisa out of there alive.

Lisa lay a few yards away, and her eyes were wide open in shock. She had just begun to trust him again and then she witnessed him in a violent rage, killing someone, even if it was to save their lives.

"Jackson…" she whispered, shaking her head.

"Leese, it's okay…It's okay…No one's gonna hurt you, I swear…" Jackson said softly, sitting down on the tarmac beside her.

"You're right about that," Lisa hissed, pulling a monster pen from the waistband of her black skirt. "Never again…"

Jackson's blue eyes grew confused. Then a sudden, sharp, fiery pain erupted in his throat. Nice…Lisa had pierced his throat with the tacky pen.

She leapt to her feet and started to run towards the airport. Oh no, this could not be happening. He had only been trying to help. This was really not his day.

Jackson ripped the pen from its painful position in his throat. Nothing as menial as a pen was going to stop him. His feelings had changed and so had his job. After several years of being emotionless, Jackson Rippner was finally beginning to open up his frozen heart and he wanted to let Lisa in.

He had risked everything by changing the plans and undoing all of the hard work and planning. His employers would want him dead for sure now and he had risked it all to save her. And the ungrateful young woman had stabbed him in the throat.

Why was she unable to understand what he was doing? Did she not feel the same attraction to him as he felt to her? Did she think that he would hurt her?

Despite the severe pain in his throat, Jackson knew that he could never hurt Lisa. He wanted to protect her more than anything he had ever done in his life. All that mattered was saving Lisa. Everything else he would deal with when the time came. He was no longer planning in advance.

Jackson's days as an assassination manager were over.

* * *

Lisa ran on, ignoring the shooting pains in her legs and feet. Damn high heels! How could she have been so stupid? Was it even humanly possible to be this blind?

How could she have trusted him again after everything that he had done to her on the plane? He had nearly killed her in the cramped bathroom, and a few moments ago she had been praying that he would get them both out of this sticky situation alive and wanting nothing more than to cling to him and never let go.

But Jackson had shown his true colors once more. He was a cold-blooded killer and he would kill her if she gave him the chance.

She knew all this instinctively, yet she still felt bad about stabbing him with the pen. She could have easily finished him off—all she needed to do was to drive the pen further into his throat with a quick thrust of her hand—but she had hesitated and then bolted.

Was it because she had feelings for him?

No, that was crazy. How can you have feelings for someone who had no emotions and was a killer? You can't—it was not possible…

Was it?

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry about the delay in posting. I'm going to try to get back to my regular every day posting tomorrow. Enjoy!


	7. Emotional Dilemma

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Seven: Emotional Dilemma**

Lisa slipped out of the airport via a stolen car. She felt bad about stealing the car, but she would return it once she made it to her father's house. Time was still ticking away and she was praying that Jackson's associate had in fact left her father alone. She also hoped that Cynthia had gotten the Keefe family out alive.

As she drove, her mind kept flicking back to Jackson. Was he chasing her—hell-bent upon killing her? Or was he still on the tarmac, frozen in shock at what she had done to him? Was he thinking about her? Did he hate her for hurting him? Or had he forgiven her?

She wanted his forgiveness—she hated hurting him. With every passing second she regretted her choice more and more. The murderous rage she had seen in him had died the moment he realized that the hit man was dead and she was safe. Had that been love and concern for her that she had seen in his crystal blue eyes before she stabbed him? Or was it only wishful thinking?

No, Jackson would never have let emotions rule him. He was a professional. He had told her so in the bathroom.

_"We're both professionals, if we have the will and means to follow through. If we don't, our customers aren't happy and when they're not, we suffer, and our lives go to shit," Jackson explained to her as she gasped for breath and he wiped away her attempted help message._

She was the emotional one. How long ago had she figured that out? How many times had Jackson himself reminded her of that small fact?

"Why can't you leave me alone?" she screamed at no one. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

Lisa slowed the stolen vehicle as she approached her father's house located at, as Jackson had so clearly reminded her, 9321 Blossom Palms Lane. As he had also told her, a silver Beemer was parked across the street—his associate's car. Her stomach dropped and her heart began to race. There was no one in the car. That meant that the killer had to been in the house already. He was going to kill her father despite Jackson's orders.

But who was to stay that Jackson had not called him back and changed those orders?

Wait, she had stabbed him in the throat with a fucking pen. There was no way that he should be able to talk so soon—let alone clearly enough to be understood over a phone. No way was Jackson behind this new twist…

Lisa jumped out of the car and dashed to the front door and found it unlocked. She raced inside, feeling sick.

"Dad?" she called out, her voice echoing in the silent house. "Daddy?"

Unwilling feet carried her from the entrance hall to the living room. It was empty. Without thinking, she automatically headed towards the kitchen. Once again, no signs of anyone. Frowning, Lisa darted up the back stairs.

"Dad?" she called once more, her question turning into a scream as a pair of hands shoved her down the stairs.

Lisa flipped head-over-heels down the stairs, finally ending her tumble at the second landing, and two or three steps from the kitchen floor. She groaned and looked up to see a well-dressed stranger in a suit. He wore glasses and Lisa knew that this was the hit man.

"Well, well. Rippner lied. He said you were dead. I'll just have to 'take care' of you for him," sneered the hit man, closing in on the frightened and injured Lisa.

Her green eyes were wide in fright and she vaguely wondered if this was the end. Had she really come this far just to die at the mercy of a hit man in her father's house? Was she really this pitiful and helpless?

"Get away from me!" she cried, kicking out with her heels. One of the tiny heels became imbedded in the hit man's leg. He gasped in pain and shoe broke away from the heel when she pulled back, leaving the heel in his thigh.

She crawled backwards into the kitchen and ripped off her useless shoes before climbing to her feet and taking flight. She ran towards the front door, intent upon slipping upstairs again to search for her father. But, a distracted glance backward stopped her plans dead. She crashed into a soft body and tumbled to the ground.

Arms grabbed her protectively and she was pulled close to one man she had half-hoped to never see again and at the same time wanted to stay with her. Jackson Rippner cradled Lisa in his arms and his brilliant blue eyes held an icy tone to them as he glared towards his former associate.

"I told you to leave," rasped Jackson, anger apparent in his voice. "I had it under control."

"Then why is she still alive? You said she was dead."

"You're supposed to listen to your superior," snapped Jackson, slowly standing up and pulling Lisa with him. She huddled in closer to him, as if he would protect her from all evils. She knew that he probably would. If he wanted her dead, he would not be stopping the hit man right now. He would have mercilessly thrown her to proverbial wolves then stepped back to watch, or he would have asked for a weapon so that he could kill her himself.

Instead, he was holding her tightly, squaring off with a presumably armed man and protecting her.

Lisa's head was spinning. As a matter of fact, her whole world was spinning.

"Leese," his worried voice filled her ringing ears as she felt his strong hands shake her. "Lisa!"

His cries were useless as she slipped into unconsciousness. The fall down the stairs and the subsequent collision with Jackson had been too much for her weary body to take.

* * *

The dead weight of Lisa's sagging body hit him like a ton of bricks. She had passed out, but as to why, he had not a clue.

He shifted her body, picking her up in his arms. Her head lolled to the side, curly hair covering her closed eyes. Her left arm hung down towards the floor. She was light and easy to carry for him.

"What did you do to her?" hissed Jackson, glaring accusingly at the hit man. "What did you do to Lisa!"

"Threw her down some stairs—nothing close to what I had planned," said the hit man sadly.

"You're not to touch her!"

"You don't make the rules anymore, Rippner. You're not the boss. You're a wanted man."

Jackson gritted his teeth and turned to carefully lay Lisa's still body down on a nearby couch. He had not wanted it to come to this. But he had come too far to blow it now.

A quick glance at Lisa reminded him why he had disobeyed his orders in the first place. He was completely in head-over-heels love for Lisa. Even after she stabbed him in the throat, he could feel no ill feelings towards her, only love. He would protect her. He would end the nightmare that he had begun when he first approached her in the Texas airport.

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry again about the delay. Oh, a few quick questions to all the readers out there, I'm curious what you think about a few things. #1: Do you think Joe's alive (wounded or not), even in the house to begin with, or the hit man's already killed him? #2: Do you think that Jackson and Lisa will stay together (should they both survive the day)? #3: Does Lisa feel the same way about Jackson as he does about her? I'm just curious to see what everyone thinks! Enjoy! Next chapter coming soon!


	8. One Shot

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Eight: One Shot**

"You know, I always hoped that I'd be the one to kill you," smiled the hit man, unsheathing his bloodstained KA-BAR.

"Aw, what a shame," smirked Jackson. "You're not going to get a chance."

"Want to bet, Rippner? Want to bet your life? There is no way they let you live after this. You screwed up."

Jackson's ice-cold, angered blue eyes flashed before he jumped the hit man, tackling him to the hardwood floor of Joe Reisert's living room. He fought for the sharp blade—he had always been excellent with knives. Guns, not so much. He had not been lying to Lisa about guns.

_"I'm a lousy shot," he told Lisa, playing the 'what's my job?' game on the plane._

He was not going to lose this fight. He was fighting for his life as well as Lisa's. He was almost one hundred percent certain that Joe Reisert was already dead, judging by the blood on the knife that he was fighting over. He felt bad about the older man dying, but he had done his best to save him. Lisa was lucky that he had walked in when he had. Had he been a few seconds later, she would have most likely been close to dead.

Lisa. She could never be his but he would not let her die because of him. He had dragged her into this mess and he would bring her out of it alive. She did not deserve to die and pay for all the mistakes and the judgmental errors that he had made over the past—was it a decade already?—few years. He would have to eventually pay for all the wrongs that he had committed. But not today. Today he was going to do the right thing and save her.

No matter if it cost him his life.

The blade nicked his arm, causing blood to seep through his dark suit jacket. He ignored the pain and focused on the matter at hand. He had to be careful because he was already injured and weary from his sleepless flight. One minor mistake and the blade would slit his throat and Lisa would die as well.

Jackson could not let that happen. He had to stay strong for Lisa.

* * *

The darkness began to lift and Lisa found herself coming around. She could hear a struggle nearby—two men fighting over something.

What was happening?

Her green eyes shot open wide and she slowly sat up on the couch. She swayed slightly before toppling onto the floor. She crawled on her sore knees closer to the struggle—determined to find out what was going on. It was not the brightest of ideas, but at the moment she did not care. Her mind was far too frazzled to think rationally.

Dark hair filled her limited view. Jackson. It had to be Jackson.

Her heart soared. He was there! He was not hurting her either! But he was still there… Why? Was the attraction she felt mutual?

The knife blade narrowed missed striking her as it was driven into the hardwood floor. Lisa gasped in shock and backed away, her fingertips sliding upon a cold, metallic object. She grabbed it and realized that she held her hands a gun. A silenced gun.

"Leese!" she heard Jackson call her name. "Run!"

Her vision began to clear and she could tell that he was losing the battle. She knew that she should take his advice and run, yet she could not compel herself to move. She could not leave him to face certain death. She would not have his death on her conscience. Even if she did not kill him, she could not let him die. She had feelings for him—feelings that would not let her leave him.

She raised the gun towards the two men and prayed. A quick prayer for herself and Jackson. Then she closed her eyes and fired.

**Author's Notes:**

Cliffie! I'm evil I know, but the story's close to its end. Only two more chapters and maybe an epilogue. The next chapter will be posted later today. Enjoy!


	9. Fate

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Nine: Fate**

Bang.

Lisa opened her eyes and saw the hit man's sprawled body covering Jackson. Jackson managed to pull himself out from under the dead man and crawl towards her. The gun fell from her hands with a loud crack as it hit the hard floor. Jackson wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to his heaving body.

He was still alive. She had not killed him with her blind shot. Jackson was fine.

"Leese," Jackson whispered, his voice raspy from the pen wound that she had inflicted. "Let's go find your dad."

Lisa nodded and Jackson helped her stand. They were both exhausted and extremely weak, but they could not quit yet. There was still much to do.

"Come on," he said and they struggled up the stairs, hurrying to the second floor, praying that they were not too late. How long had the hit man been in the house before she arrived? Was her dad even in the house at the time?

"Dad? Daddy?" Lisa called, listening for some type of response. "Dad!"

They peeked into each room, Jackson leading the way, just in case there was another hit man in the house. Lisa and Jackson were passing her father's room when Jackson tried to turn her away from the door way. Her heart stopped beating and she stopped breathing for a moment.

"Dad! Jackson, let me see!" Lisa demanded, fighting his grip.

Jackson released her and she stumbled into the bedroom. On the floor lay Joe Reisert, beaten and bloody. And very, very dead…

"Oh my god!" she gasped, covering her mouth and quickly stepping backwards, backing into Jackson. He reached out to embrace her, to whisper promises in her ear and reassure her that everything would be okay.

But she wanted none of it. He had promised that her father was safe, and here he was, dead because of Jackson. Nothing would ever be okay again.

* * *

The hurt and betrayed look upon her beautiful face and in her tearing green eyes was too much for him to take. He had been trying to help her and look what had happened. He had gotten her father killed. He had been trying to do something good for once. Of course, it had back-fired.

"Leese," he tried to touch her again and she stepped backwards from him, almost as if his light touch repulsed her.

"No!" Lisa cried, smacking his arm. "No!"

She was going to have a breakdown. Her emotions were getting the better of her. She was getting ready to lose it and there was nothing that he could do to stop it. He wanted to help her, but what was there that he could do?

Lisa started to cry and her anger came out at the same time. She blindly punched and hit him; the blows not really hurting him—they were more of a nuisance—but it made her feel better. Finally, she collapsed; too tired to try to hurt him anymore and he caught her.

She sobbed onto his jacket and pulled the material into her fists. He placed his arms around her, getting small drops of blood on her white sweater. Lisa clung to him and he supported her, determined to help her get through this. This was all his fault. If he had not taken the job or not tried to free her father, then the Reiserts would both be free and safe at that moment, instead of her father dead.

If he had not fallen in love with her, none of this would have happened. It would have been just like any other job. But he allowed his emotions to get the better of him and now the one person he had not wanted to pay for his mistakes had paid dearly. Lisa lost her father because of him. He was responsible for the murder of Joe Reisert.

He should have done something differently. Once he knew about the other hit man, he should have done something differently. Called the police, or something.

But he had been blinded by his emotions for a woman that he could never be with, especially not anymore. He could never be with Lisa Reisert. It was their fate to be kept apart by his job and his lifestyle. As much as he wanted to believe that he could change enough to stay with her, he knew in his mind that it was impossible.

Their fate was sealed—Lisa and Jackson could never be together.

Even if they could be together, Jackson had lost Lisa's trust. She had trusted him to save Joe and he had failed. Failing to keep a promise was worse than lying. And he never lied and never broke his promises. All the same, he had lost the only person who had ever mattered. He had lost Lisa—both her trust and heart—due to one mistake. A mistake that cost an innocent man's life. Joe Reisert's only crime was loving his daughter too much.

Jackson's crime was failing to save him.

**Author's Notes:**

A sad chapter. It's short, but that because I lost my train of thought thanks to some rather nosy and noisy friends (I mean you, Robbie, TC, Dan, and Seth! Get out!) . And I have been unable to regain said train of thought. It won't happen again though. Next chapter should be up early tomorrow morning, before I hit the road for school.


	10. Leaving

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Ten: Leaving**

"Please, please leave me," Lisa found herself crying, finally gathering the strength and energy to fight Jackson's comforting embrace. Her heart was torn—part of her wanted him to suffer for what he had done and die a painful death and the other part wanted him to never leave her side. She knew that she needed some space for the time being at the very least.

"Leese," his raspy breath was warm on her neck and sent little chills down her spine. "I'm so sorry."

She bit her lip and tried to fight the tears that begged for release. "Me too…Now please, leave…"

She could feel his pain and see it written clearly upon his face. He was hurting just as much as she was. But she could not take it any longer. Jackson had to leave before she went insane and did something that she would later regret. Seeing her father's dead body had unhinged her.

"You'll know where to find me," Jackson told her, blue eyes staring into her hurt green ones. He slowly let her go; his movements reluctant and forced. She found herself wanting to bury herself in his arms and never leave his side. He had protected her and tried his best to save her father. But his best was not enough. Because of him, her father was dead, murdered in his own home.

She nodded. He was giving her a chance to sort things out. He held feelings for her as well, but he would not force her to be with him. That was more courtesy than any man had ever shown her. He was truly a kind and caring person deep inside. Why he hid it, Lisa knew not.

Lisa could not bring herself to say good-bye as Jackson walked away, walking out of her life as suddenly as he had purposefully entered it a few hours ago. He did not say good-bye either.

She managed to reach a phone and numbly dialed 911. Her legs collapsed near her father's body and she fell onto the floor. She sobbed openly as she waited for someone to answer her call.

"911 operator, can you state your emergency?" asked a pleasant, calm voice. Lisa's voice used to sound that way, when she was talking to patrons at the hotel and before Jackson had forced his way into her life. She numbly wondered if her voice would ever sound that way again.

"Yes, my name's Lisa Reisert. My father—he's dead—murdered. I'm at his house, on the second floor. 9321 Blossom Palms Lane in Miami. Please hurry…" she cried before hanging up the phone and lying down on the floor.

Sobs wracked her frail body and the sounds of approaching sirens filled the air shortly. Lisa remained unmoved on the floor in shock. The EMTs loaded her onto a stretcher as well and took her away to the hospital, just to have her checked out in case. She could barely answer the questions posed and she had no recollection of them.

All she could think about was Jackson and his emotion-filled blue eyes.

* * *

Jackson hated leaving Lisa alone, but he knew that it was for the best. She needed her space and time to recover. He respected that.

Respect. That was a new word for him.

Then again, so was love. And he was so sure; as sure as he was that his eyes were blue, that he was in love with Lisa Reisert. Which should not have even been possible for him. Managers were not supposed to fall in love with their victims. Lisa had been just another victim, or so he had lied to himself, until he realized how much he was hurting her and just how much that hurt him.

He sighed as he stumbled into his rented hotel room. He had to stay as far away from Lisa as possible at the moment. Word had already gotten out that he had turned on his employers. It was only a matter of time before everyone was after him and he refused to put her life in danger again.

Jackson would have to disappear soon, but not without saying good-bye to Lisa, even it were from a far-off distance.

He would leave her because he had to, not because he wanted to, and he would break his heart. But he would not bother her. She told him to leave and he left. Did it make him a fool to listen to her? Should he have protested more and refused to leave her? Should he have told her that he loved her?

None of it mattered because in the morning, Jackson Rippner was moving on and he was going to leave Lisa behind. He was going to disappear, never to return. He would never hurt her again, no matter what.

He loved her too much and it was the price he had to pay for his emotions.

**Author's Notes:**

That's the end of the chapters. All that's left is the epilogue now. It'll be up later today.


	11. Epilogue

**Make the Call**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Epilogue**

It was pouring the morning they buried her father in a local cemetery. Only a few close friends and former co-workers of Joe Reisert had attended. Cynthia had come as well, to be moral support for Lisa in her time of need.

Eventually, Lisa was only person left behind in the dark cemetery. She was soaked to the bone, having refused to bring an umbrella and refused to use one even after various people offered to loan her one. Her once-curly hair was plastered to her face, looking ragged and ignored. All of her make-up had washed away and her clothes clung to her thin frame. She had stopped eating days ago.

She wore the same black skirt as she had on that fateful night, but it was now paired with a black blouse and blazer. Black high heels kept her aching feet out of puddles of water and mud.

Lisa had stopped crying long ago. She was no longer capable of producing tears. Not that tears mattered in the rain. They would have mixed in with the rain anyways.

_"Then you'll bury your dad in a closed casket," Jackson warned her on the plane, once the phones stopped working._

If only he could have known then how true his words would be. But none of it mattered. Joe was dead and there was nothing that could be done that would change that terrible outcome. She was all alone now. Her mother had refused to come from Texas—the semi-bitter divorce caused ill feelings between her parents. Lisa was not going back to Texas. She refused to fly and she was not about to drive out there.

For the time being, she would remain in Miami, in the house where she had grown up. She had already cancelled the lease on her apartment and moved back into her father's house. It would always be her father's house, no matter how many years she spent there.

Lisa numbly slipped into her car and drove automatically to a place that she had not visited recently—at least since the day of the red eye flight. She felt driven, drawn inexplicably to it. A gut feeling told her to go there.

She stepped into the lobby of the Lux Atlantic and strode confidently past the front desk and stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button for the tenth floor and found herself running down the hall to the room marked 1019. Her heart was racing.

Would he be there? Was he still waiting for her after all this time?

Her fists pounded on the door. Scuffling sounds from the other side told her that whoever was in the room was hurriedly undoing the locks on the door.

Could it be? Could it possibly be?

The door flew up and a crystal-clear pair of blue eyes locked on her. Without a thought, Lisa threw herself into Jackson's arms and began crying again. "I'm sorry," she managed to sob. "I never meant to leave."

"It's okay, Leese," he reassured her. "Everything's going to be okay now."

Lisa nodded weakly. She trusted him now. After everything that had happened, she still managed to find trust for him. She had thought long and hard about that day and she knew that it was not his fault. It was no one but his employer's fault. Jackson had tried to help; he had tried to stop fate. He had saved her that day.

One look at Jackson's face told her that she had saved him too. They had saved each other and together they would put their lives back together.

**Author's Notes:**

It's over! I shall miss this story. There's a chance for a sequel, if anyone thinks that it needs one, and if so, what would they like to see happen in the sequel?


End file.
